Mpox Detected in Indian Traveler, The Centre of Disease Control Confirms Preparedness for Isolated-Travel Cases
A suspected case of Mpox has been identified in India, but authorities are assuring the public there’s no need to panic. According to a statement from the Union Health Ministry on Sunday, the patient is a young man who recently traveled from a country experiencing a Mpox outbreak. He’s currently stable and in isolation at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, with samples sent for further testing.
“This case aligns with earlier assessments, and there’s no undue cause for worry,” officials said. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had previously noted that isolated, travel-related cases could appear, but they also reassured that India is prepared to handle such scenarios.
The good news is, according to health experts, the risk of a large-scale Mpox outbreak in India is low. While a few imported cases were anticipated, sustained transmission is not likely. The virus is primarily spreading through close contact, including sexual contact, with Clade I being more serious than Clade II. However, authorities say India’s healthcare system is well-prepared for isolated cases, like the one currently under investigation.
The Health Ministry is on high alert, especially at points of entry into the country via Airports, seaports, and land crossings monitoring travelers for symptoms with isolation facilities and testing labs are fully equipped. For now, it seems India is well-prepared to handle these travel-related cases, and as officials have assured, there’s no reason to hit the panic button just yet.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also made it clear that the Mpox outbreak is not another COVID-19. While it’s important to stay aware, this virus isn’t expected to spread in the same way.
In fact, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been hit the hardest, with over 17,500 cases and 629 deaths reported this year. Both types of the virus, Clade 1a and Clade 1b, are present in the DRC. The country recently received its first batch of Mpox vaccines, and health officials are hopeful that this will help control the outbreak, which led the United Nations to declare a global public health emergency.
The virus has also popped up in countries like Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand.
